Ukrainian Magura V5 drones sink Russian missile ship, illuminating new threat in Black Sea warfare
We note that the Russians lost another ship on Thursday, February 1. Ukrainian military intelligence released a brief video showing the moment of attack - a maritime drone striking one of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Initially, the Ukrainians did not reveal the specific weapon used in the attack. However, experts suspected several drones were involved, including the Magura V5 or Sea Baby.
Feb 2, 2024 | updated: 4:27 AM EST, March 7, 2024
The following day, Kyrylo Budanov unveiled the specifics of the sinking of the Russian ship. He confirmed that the Ukrainians executed the strike with Magura V5 drones, according to the Belsat portal. He further noted that six direct hits to the hull resulted in the ship tilting and eventually sinking.
About Magura V5 Sea Drones
The Black Sea defenders' army commonly uses the Magura V5 sea drones. Numerous online videos showcase these drones "hunting" enemy ships. Aside from the Sea Baby, the Magura V5 is recognized as a significant threat to Russian vessels.
Primarily, this is because the Magura V5s are quite large drones, measuring 18 feet in length and around 5 feet in width. Their structure allows them to achieve a maximum speed of 42 knots, or nearly 47 mph, making them a challenging target during attacks.
Given their large size, Magura V5 can accommodate many explosives. The drone's maximum payload is 705 lbs, with the weapon component constituting 441 lbs. Despite this, it still poses a significant threat to the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. The drone can cover as much as 497 miles in a single journey. This vast range illuminates another advantage of the Magura V5 unit. With their capabilities, the drones can function as kamikaze drones and carry out surveillance and search operations at sea. In this manner, the Ukrainians can target anti-ship missiles at enemy units while concurrently launching attacks from the sea using drones.
